We would like to welcome two new members to both our Chicago and Los Angeles teams!

Meet Grant MacDowell and Max Gold!

Editor,Grant MacDowell, who worked most recently at Optimus, has joined the LA. staff. MacDowell accumulated a long-list of impressive work prior to his time at Optimus, including Ford spots with JWT Detroit, freelance graphic work for Janus and Hasbro, and a chapter with Brass Knuckles in Venice editing music videos for artists including Moby and No Doubt.

Max Gold joins our Chicago office from Draft FCB’s venerable in-house editorial department where his work for clients saw him editing spots for a host of notable directors including Iain Mackenzie, Tony Kaye, Sean Thonson, Fred Goss, as well as music video and Jack-Ass director, Whitey and 2010 DGA Director of the Year nominee Craig Gilespie. “Birthing Room,” a spot he edited for Qwest (directed by Gillespie) was shortlisted in the Cannes Lions competition.

We’re very excited to welcome these two new editors to our ever growing roster of talent!

Foundation’s Associate Creative Director, Kyle Shoup visited the L.A. office recently, from Chicago. Shoup, Producer, Evan Cohen, and Owner, Samantha Hart went to MOCA to attend Aaron Roses’ lecture about his curating Art in the Streets, an exhibit of street art which included works by our artist in residence, Nick Egan.

A great time was enjoyed by all and we strongly encourage anyone in the L.A. area to check out the exhibit for themselves. http://www.moca.org/

The 12 page article features Aaron’s photography and thoughts on the artistic and cultural underbelly of Los Angeles. “A lot of all kinds of weird, scary, hysterical things happen in LA at every instant,” Aaron says in the interview, “As a result there’s all kinds of different work happening.”

Foundation L.A. recently hosted a roundtable discussion for an audience of students and alumni from Inner-City Filmmakers, a nonprofit dedicated to training and employing disenfranchised high school grads. The panel – including DPs, editors, directors, Poolhouse producers, and our own James Lipetzky – covered everything from story development to hands-on practicalities of production.

Well, I know of no better way to start the weekend off right than with this awesome new video for Arctic Monkeys’ song “The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala”. Click the pic to view the video.

This piece was directed by Focus Creeps and edited by Foundation’s Gladys Bernadac. It was lensed over the course of a few months at various iconic locations in Los Angeles, their Hollywood Paladium show, our LA stage and even includes footage shot in Sheffield, at the band’s homecoming concert. If you are an Arctic Monkeys fan, this video is a treat not to be missed!

In Los Angeles, James Lipetzky directed a piece for United Way of Orange County. Shot over five days on location in Orange County, Foundation’s Evan Cohen pulled double duty on this shoot as both Line Producer and AD.

The shoot culminated with 50 people on the beach in Newport Beach. James Lipetzky commented; “I was deeply moved by some of the stories I encountered while on this shoot, of those helped by United Way. The work they do to help those in need really is exceptional.” Stay tuned for more on this piece in the future!

Foundation’s Anna Patel directed and edited a series of web docs to support the launch of Current TV’s 4TH AND FOREVER which premieres Thursday, May 26th at 9/8c.

The series follows the storied Long Beach Polytechnic High School football team as they tackle the 2010 season. Poly has graduated more NFL players than any other high school in America. We sat down with a few alumni to learn what makes this such a successful football program. The first clip features Marcedes Lewis (Poly ’02) of the Jacksonville Jaguars and premiered on ESPN.com.